The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1887-05-18
THE THIRD WATCH
THE TIME WHEN CRIMINALS DO
THEIR WORST.

Rev. DIR. Talmage Exhorts His Hearers
to Give Money to the Poor Rather
than Professionalism the Most Heart
less of All Evil Doors.
BROOKLYN, May 15.-At the tabernacle this
morning there were the same great throngs Of
people as usual, overlooking the main audi
ence room into the corridors, and from the
corridors into the street. This, the largest
church in America, is more and more made
quate 70 hold the people, as the years go by.
The pastor, the Rev. T. DE Witt Talmage,
DID, took for his text this morning: Watch
man, what of the nightf' Isaiah xxi, 2 He
said:
When night came down on Babylon,
Eineveh, and Jerusalem, they needed care
full watching, otherwise the incendiary's
torch might have been thrust into the very
heart Of the metropolitan splendor; or enemies,
marching from the hills, might have forced
the gates. All night long, on top of the wall
and in front Of the gates, might be heard the
measured step Of the Waterman on his solitary
beat; silence hung in air, save as some passer
by raised the question: 'Watchmans what
of the nightF
1t is to me deeply suggestive and solemn
thing to a standing guard by night
1t thrilled through me, at the gate Of an
arsenal in Charleston, the question once snote
me: "Who comes thereY followed by the
sharp command: Advance and give the
countersign" Every moral teacher stands
on picket, or patrols the wall Waterman
His work is to sound the alarm; and whether
IL be in the first watch, in the second watch,
in the third watch, or in the fourth watch to
be vigilant until the daybreak filings its
''morning glories' of blooming cloud across
the arching trellis Of the sky.
The ancients divided their night into four
PARASITIC first watch from to .; the second,
from 8 10 II; the third, from IL 10 8; the
fourth, from TO 6.
speak now Of the city in the third watch.
or from IL to 3 o'clock
1 never weary of looking upon the life and
brilliancy Of the city in the first watch That
is the hour when the stores are closing The
laboring men, having quilted the scafolding
and the shop, are on their way home II re-
joices me to give them my seat in the city
car. They have stood and hammered away
all day. Their feet are weary. They are ex-
bausted with the tug Of work. They are
mostly cheerful With appetites sharpened
on the swift turner's wheel and the carpen-
ters milestone, they seek the evening meal
The clerks too, have broken away from the
counter, and with brain weary of the long
line of figures, and the whims OF those who
60 n shopping, seek the face Of mother or
wife and child. The merchants are unhar-
Messing themselves from their anxieties on
their way up the street. The boys that lock
up are heaving away at the shutters, showing
the heavy bolts and taking a last look at the
fire to that all is safe. The streets are
thronged with young setting out from
the great centers of bargain making.
Let idlers clear the street and give right of
way TO the besweated artisans and merchants.
They have earned their bread, and are now
on their way home to get it.
The lights in full jet hang over 10, 900
evening repasts-the parents at either end of
the table the children between. Thank God,
'who setteth the solt.-.y in families"
A few hours later and all the places of
amusement, good and bad, are in full tide
Lovers of art, catalogue in hand, stroll
through the galleries and discuss the pict-
ures. The ballroom is resplendent with the
rich apparel of those who, on either side of
the white glistening boards, await the signal
from the orchestra. The footlights of the
theatre flash up. the bell rings, and the cur
tain rises, and out from the gorgeous scenery
glide the actors, greeted with the vocifera-
ton of the expectant multitudes. Concert
halls are lifted into enchantment with the
MARBLE of one songstress, or swept out on a
sea of tumultuous feeling by the blast of bra
zen instruments. Drawing rooms are filed
with all gracefulness of apparel, with all
sweetness OF sound, with all splendor of man.
ner; mirrors catching up and multiplying
the scene until it seems as if in infinite CORR
doris there were garlanded groups advancing
and retreating.
The outdoor air rings with laughter and
with the moving to of thousands on the great
promenades. The dashing span, adrip with
the foam of the long country ride, rlshes past
as you halt at the curb stone.
Mirth, revelry, beauty, fashion, magnifi-
cence mingle in the great metropolitan pict-
ure, until the thinking man goes home to
think more seriously and the praying man to
pray more earnestly.
A beautiful and overwhelming thing is the
CITY in the first and second watches of the
night.
But the clock strikes 12, and the third watch
has begun.
Tho thunder of the city has rolled out of
the air The slightest sounds cut the night
with such distinctness as to attract your at
tention. The tinkling of the bell of the street
car in the distance and the baying of the dog;
the stamp of the horse in the next street:
The slamming of a saloon door; the hic-
cough of the drunkard: the shrieks of the
steam whistle, five miles away-Oh, how sug-
gestive, my friends, the third watch of the
night
There are honest men passing up and down
the street. Here is city missionary who
has been carrying a scuttle~of coal to that
poor family in that dark place. Here is an
undertaken going up the steps of a building
from which there comes a bitter cry, which
indicates that the destroying angel has smit-
ten the first born. Here is a minister of re-
Igion who has been giving the sacrament to
dying Christian. Here is physician pass
ing along in great haste, the messenger few
steps head hurrying on to the household.
Nearly all the lights have gone out in the
dwellings, for it is the third watch of the
night That light in the window is the light
Of the watcher, for the medicines must be adj
ministered, and the fever must be watched,
and the restless tossing off of the coverlid
must be resisted and the ice must be kept on
the hot temples, and the perpetual prayer
must 60 up from hearts soon TO be broken.
Oh, the third watch of the night What
stupendous thought-a whole city at resti
Weary arm preparing for to-morrow's toll;
hot brain being cooled off; rigid muscles
relaxed excited nerves soothed; the white
hair of the octogenarian in thin drifts across
the pillow; fresh fall of flakes on snow already
fallen; childhood with its dimpled hands
thrown out on the pillow, and with every
breath taking in new store of fun and frolic.
Third watch Of the night Gods slumberless
eye will look. Let one great wave of refresh
ing slumber roll over the heart of the great
town, submerging care, and anxiety, and
worriment, and pain.
Let the city sleep But, my friends, be not
deceived There will be thousands tonight
who viii not sleep at all Coup that dark alley
and be cautious where you tread lest you fall
over the PROSTATE form of drunkard lying
on his own doorstep. Look about you. lest
You feel the garroter's hug. Look through
the broken window pane and see what YOU
can see. You say Nothing" Then listen.
What is it'll God help u.s., No footlights,
bat tragedy ghastlier and mightier than His
tori or Edwin Booth ever enacted. No light,
no fire, no bread, no hope. Shivering in the
cold, they have had no food for twenty four
hours. You say "Why don't they begls
They do, but they get nothing You say:
AWhy don't they deliver themselves over TO
the almshouseT Ah you would not ask that
IL you ever heard the bitter cry of man or
child when told that he must go to the aims
house.
@OhT you say. @they are vicious poor, and,
therefore, they do not deserve our sympathy >
Are they viciousi So much more need they
your pity. The Christian poor, God helps
them. Through their night there wrinkles
the round, merry star of hope, and through
the broken window pane they see the crys-
tails OF heaven; but the vicious poor, they are
more to be pisied. Their last light has gone
out You excuse yourself from helping them
by saying they are so bad, they brought this
trouble on themselves reply, where give
ten prayers for the innocent who are suffer-
ing viii give twenty prayers for the guilty
who are suffering
The fisherman, when he sees vessel dash
<ro<r int II